Getting your house in order before the long winter is never a bad idea. Of course, sometimes that’s also easier said than done. Summer drifts away in a breeze of BBQ’s and sunny skies. Fall blows in and out again before your cocoa can cool, and suddenly, the snows flying, and your house is a mess. If like many of us you find yourself with some last-minute clean-up to do, these winter house cleaning tips are sure to help.
Declutter Your Closets
A great first step to a cleaner house is a proper place for the things in your house. Your closets are the ideal place to start. Go through your home storage space by storage space and remove anything that you haven’t worn or used in the last year (excluding seasonal items you’ll definitely use when the time is right). You can donate these items to your local charity or even sell them. No matter what you do with them making space to organize your house feels great.
Rearrange Your Pantry
Right in line with closet decluttering is pantry arranging. Fall is a great time to take stock of what you have in stock while likewise rotating your stores and removing any expired food.
As the weather turns chilly, many critters and crawlies also make an attempt to move indoors, so it’s an excellent time to assess your pest-proofing. Aim for air-tight, chew-proof containers that reseal, and make sure there’s no spilled food on shelves or down on the floor behind items.
Steam Vacuum Your Carpets and Rugs
Most of us regularly vacuum, but often it’s just not enough to keep dust and dander out of thicker carpets and rugs. As a result, steam vacuuming all your carpets and rugs before winter is a great first step to a cleaner house. You don’t have to buy a steam cleaner to get the job done either. Steam cleaners are often relatively inexpensive to rent. You can even find local services that will do the work for you such as this maid service in Dallas.
Clean Your Sink Drains
Greasy and dirty pipes are more likely to clog. The slower water flow can sometimes even cause pipes to freeze when temperatures get low. Either way, repairing pipes in the freezing cold is never fun.
You can keep your plumbing system clean in and in working order by occasionally running a mixture of white vinegar and baking soda down the drain. Flush with hot water afterward. This has an added benefit of eliminating unpleasant drain smells in kitchens and bathrooms alike.
If you have a septic system rather than city sewer, this is also a great time to add some septic microbes to prevent backups.
Replace Your HVAC filters
Colder temperatures lead many of us to spend far more time cooped up indoors with our windows closed tight and our heat on high. While cozy, this leaves us at the mercy of indoor air quality far longer. Be sure to check your HVAC filters before the chill sits in.
Filters in your air-conditioner or home-heating system should be replaced every three months. A good rule of thumb is to just replace or clean them at the end of every season.
We hope these simple steps to help prepare your home for winter have been helpful, or at the least, have left your space feeling a little fresher. What’s your can’t-skip tip for winter clean-up?
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